Volume III: Biographies Volume III: Biographies
Thanhouser Career Synopsis: Frank L. Zimmerman was president of the Thanhouser Company in 1912 when it was owned by Edwin Thanhouser. He remained with the company after it became part of the Mutual Film Corporation.
Biographical Notes: Frank L. Zimmerman was the president of the Thanhouser company during the early days. It is believed that his position was a nominal one, hardly that of a classic executive, and that his duties were primarily on the stages and studio lots, not in the office. In 1912 he worked as a technician in the film joining department. He was among those in attendance at the Thanhouser ball held in January 1914 to observe the first anniversary of the January 13, 1913 Thanhouser studio fire. New Rochelle city directories list his occupation as a foreman. In 1910 and 1911 he lived at 7 Pratt Avenue. From 1912 through at least 1918 he lived at the Oneida Apartments at 348 Main Street. He had a brother who also worked for Thanhouser, circa 1912, and another brother who was a professional baseball player for the Chicago Cubs.
A 1914 Biographical Sketch: The following appeared in The New Rochelle Pioneer, November 14, 1914: "'Quiet, everybody! Picture! Flooey, turn the crank!' This is a two reel drama visualizing the life of Frank L. Zimmerman, one of the finest white men that ever came to New Rochelle, that won't need a subtitle to get the story over. Picture to yourself 'Zimmy' wearing a pleasant smile, day in and day out, never ruffled in temper and always hurrying. 'Zimmy' is about as thin as the writer of this sketch, and all because his life is so jammed with activity (for action is the life of the photoplay game) that obeisance never has a chance to catch up with the genial Zimmerman.
"He came to New Rochelle in January 1910, and laid out the old skating rink (then located at the corner of Grove and Warren Streets) into a moving picture manufacturing plant, and to work on the new French system of developing, toning and handling the films, which gave the name of 'best' to the Thanhouser product. Mr. Zimmerman has been in this line of work since 1902, when he worked for the inventor and pioneer of motion picture art - the wizard, Thomas Alva Edison, in West Orange, New Jersey, at the time that motion pictures were in their infancy, and when the 'know it alls' were predicting that the 'new toy' would last about as long as a snowball would in Yucatan, and the regulation 'reel' of that day was about 50 feet in length to cover a story, but now it takes from 1,000 to 12,000 feet to make a feature photoplay - Cabiria running to the last named figures.
"At the time that Edwin Thanhouser planned to start his studio in New Rochelle he engaged Mr. Zimmerman to take charge of at least one department, the output, or finishing touches, known in the trade as the assembling department. The first shipment consisted of less than seven reels. To make up the work in that department two girls were employed. At the time of the disastrous fire on January 13, 1913, which destroyed the plant worth nearly $100,000, they were putting out over 100 reels a week. Now, less than two years after the fire, the output has grown to enormous proportions, and the plant has grown to be one of the largest in the world, and the little assembling room with 'Zimmy' and his two girls has grown to a big factor in the life of the plant, until 28 are carried on the payroll in his department alone. The same increase in employment is shown all over the place.
"Glance again. You will notice that the hair is becoming a trifle thin on the mount. Gray strands are forcing the youthful tone away, and 'Zimmy' is actually getting gray in the service. He has a kindly eye that the 'shur-ons' can't hide, and although the lids almost kiss, 'Zimmy' is very much wide-awake. His smile is one of his greatest assets, though to a stranger 'Zimmy' presents a mobile front. He appears at first hard to fathom and seems almost impenetrable and impregnable, after you give him the 'once over' and he does likewise and finds that he can like you, he'll fraternize.
"Speaking of fraternizing, one mustn't forget that Mr. Zimmerman has found time to 'ride the goat.' He's a member of Huguenot Lodge, No. 46, F. & A.M., and attends lodge meetings religiously unless work interferes, for that is his first consideration, and at the lodge he mingles with the men of other departments and forgets splices, cut backs, titles, pull-ups, and the rest of the what-nots that fill the game in the assembling department.
"No drama is complete without a love interest. Flooey, give the Pathé another twist! Enter 'Zimmy' with the finest bunch of girls gathered under one roof. In a family of such magnitude petty jealousies, aloofness and other supposed feminine arts are generally present, but not so in 'Zimmy's' department. If ever a Garden of Eden existed and a fraternity-feminine had life, here one will find it. Brigham Young was never so well loved as the head of the joining room. They say Mr. Zimmerman is a man of childless family. Don't let anybody put that kind of bunk over on you. He's there with a population bigger than Eddie Foy's! Opinion would materially differ were one to drop in to see Mrs. Zimmerman at her home at 348 Main Street, with all the neighbors' little tots upsetting the apartment, with that perfect freedom of liberty and warm welcome admitted only in the family center, while at the studio 'Zimmy' is regarded by his many 'girls' not as a boss, but as 'Pop,' a co-worker, never stern, always kindly, and helpful, and his love for them all is - well, Mrs. Zimmerman recently said: 'It's a good thing I know him as well as I do!' That's 'Zimmy!' Recognize him on the street and say, 'Hello, 'Zimmy'!' You'll be surprised to find how congenial he'll be despite that supposed mask of indifference. There, Flooey, you may fade the picture!"
Note: His first name appeared as "Fred" in a few articles.
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Copyright © 1995 Q. David Bowers. All Rights Reserved.